Fishing at Massasoit

You can fish at Massasoit State Park from shore, from a canoe or kayak, or through the ice in winter. The main water is Lake Rico, which MassWildlife stocks with trout each spring and which also holds largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, black crappie and sunfish. Big Bearhole Pond, reached at Fisherman's Landing, is good for bluegill and pumpkinseed with the odd bass. Anglers 15 and older need a Massachusetts fishing license; it is free for ages 15 to 17 and 70 and up.

Lake Rico

MassWildlife's surveys found largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, black crappie, brown bullhead, pumpkinseed, bluegill, American eel and golden shiner, and it stocks trout every spring. The lake's many small bays and few islands give fish plenty of structure. The deepest water is in the northern half; MassWildlife suggests paddling to the southern half for pickerel and bass. Lake Rico has produced bass, pickerel, perch, crappie, sunfish and bullhead large enough for the state's Freshwater Sportfishing Awards. Shore fishing works along Middleboro Avenue and from the trails. See Lake Rico.

Big Bearhole Pond and Fisherman's Landing

This 42-acre pond is shallow, about 5 feet on average and 12 at most, with wooded shores and hiking trails along them. MassWildlife lists largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, bluegill, brown bullhead and golden shiner; bluegill and pumpkinseed are abundant and the pond has produced award-size bass. DCR manages a fisherman's access for cartop boats off Bearhole Road on the north-western shore, and the Adams Trail ends at Fisherman's Landing. MassWildlife notes that aquatic plants get dense by late summer, especially in the shallows.

Licenses and Limits

MassWildlife requires a fishing license for anyone 15 or older; it is free for anglers 15 to 17 and 70 and older. Buy it online through MassFishHunt. Statewide limits apply here:

• Trout: 6 a day, no more than 3 of them brook, brown or tiger trout. Open all year.
• Largemouth and smallmouth bass: 5 a day, minimum 12 inches.
• Chain pickerel: 5 a day, minimum 15 inches.

Check MassWildlife's current regulations before you go.

Boats

Only cartop boats: the Lake Rico launches and the Bearhole Road access are dirt and gravel, with no trailer ramp. No motors are allowed on either. Children 12 and under must wear a life jacket on a boat, and everyone in a canoe or kayak must wear one from September 15 to May 15. See kayaking and canoeing.

Ice Fishing

DCR's plan lists fishing "from on top of a frozen pond" among the park's winter uses. DCR does not post ice conditions; never go out on ice you have not checked yourself.

Good Habits

• Take your line home. DCR's plan wants line-disposal bins because loose line tangles wildlife.
• Clean, drain and dry your gear. Milfoil and fanwort already grow in the park's ponds; moving them is against the law.
• Use the launches and established spots. User-made access points erode the shore and damage rare plants.

Other Water Nearby

Watson Pond and Lake Sabbatia, both on Bay Street in Taunton, are MassWildlife-surveyed bass and pickerel waters.